Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support recruitment and retention of early years staff in rural areas, including consideration of travel costs, wage supplements, and shared staffing models.

The Best Start in Life strategy lays the foundation for long-term improvements to recruitment and retention in early years. The department is building a stronger, more skilled workforce to meet rising demand through new routes into the workforce, targeted recruitment campaigns and operational flexibilities for childminders.

We are championing early years teachers, with plans to more than double the number of training places on Early Years Initial Teacher Training by 2028, a new degree apprenticeship route with financial support to deliver this, and financial incentive to attract and keep early years teachers in nurseries serving the most disadvantaged communities.

In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion, more than doubling the government’s commitment to funded childcare since 2023/24 and reflecting above inflation increase to funding rates and National Living Wage increases. To go further, we will review early years funding, including the national funding formulae, and consult the sector on changes by summer 2026.